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A new interactive showroom and test facility, near Windsor, UK, is set to change the way in which new commercial developments, existing businesses and education providers select their audio visual systems.

The showroom, that anyone from teachers to audio visual (AV) providers can visit and use, holds a range of interactive flat panel displays from manufacturers Smart, Promethean and Clevertouch and allows the user to compare the features and benefits of each.

The test facility is used to identify any potential pitfalls prior to installation by providing a complex system of back end servers and technology inputs/outputs, which can measure the compatibility of the touchscreens with legacy systems, software, cabling and connectivity in a controlled setting.

The Hub is the creation of Grant Allen, MD at Paragon Multimedia, an AV solutions provider, who wanted to give technology specifiers the opportunity to eliminate risk in their investment and simplify the installation process by adding two more layers in the buying process, the trial and the test.

“The inspiration behind The Hub came from an experience I had whilst working on a project for British Airways. An AV system had been specified and purchased, before we joined the process, which was incompatible with the organisation’s legacy technology. Had there been a facility to test these systems in advance, the installation would have been easier for everyone involved.”

Currently, there are no showrooms in the UK where technology specifiers can try, compare and test interactive flat panel displays before they commit to buying. This facility will radically reduce the number of problems occurring ‘on the job’, which disrupts the process and can result in unnecessary expenditure and time loss.

“AV technology has changed quite dramatically over the last 10 years and specific areas that most people don’t think about, such as cabling and connectivity, now need more qualification. We wanted to adjust what we offer at Paragon Multimedia to match the demands to ensure we provide our customers the service and results they want,” Allen concluded.